Oweniidae

Oweniidae
Owenia fusiformis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Annelida
Class:	Polychaeta
Order:	Canalipalpata
Suborder:	Sabellida
Family:	Oweniidae Rioja, 1917
Genera
Galathowenia Myriochele Myriowenia Owenia

Oweniidae is a family of marine polychaete worms in the suborder Sabellida. The worms live in tubes made of sand and are selective filter feeders,^[1] detritivores and grazers.^[2]

Members of this family live in tubes made of sand and shell fragments. The head of the worm does not bear a proboscis, but has the mouth at the tip rimmed by some very short tentacles. The body segments lack parapodia and are smooth elongated cylinders. There are a large number of hooked chaetae or bristles on a small pad on the ventral side of each segment. These chaetae have two parallel teeth resembling claws which is a feature that distinguishes members of this family from other polychaetes. The posterior tip bears different appendages in different genera. Family members are unique in having a bell-shaped larval stage known as a mitraria larva. At one time the family was classified as the Ammocharidae.^[1]

• Galathowenia Kirkegaard, 1959
• Myriochele Malmgren, 1867
• Myriowenia Hartman, 1960
• Owenia Delle Chiaje, 1844^[2]

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